The Emerald Isle: A Dream Come True

Our very own Debbie Léon Stevens traveled to Ireland for the first time in mid February this year. Below are some of her trip highlights and her impression of the Emerald Isle!As a young child, my favorite place to be was out in the yard, under my favorite tree, sitting on a patch of green moss pretending I was Kermit the Frog. Since then, I have found that my love of green and my love of moss has only become more fervent, so when presented with the opportunity to visit the Emerald Isle this month, I nearly teleported to the land of green. I’ve been home for less than a week, and I’m already dreaming up my return.. Having been in my top three places to visit for years now, I have to admit that this lovely place did not disappoint. Dublin was a fun place to be for a few days, and staying on St Stephen’s Green at the historic Shelbourne Hotel was the spot to stay. What a glorious little park to admire the protected swans while I meandered around the maze of lawn, early spring flowers, ponds and statues, and finally breathed in the first whiff of Ireland. No stone was left unturned as I visited the National Gallery to see the ancient bog bodies that are older than Tutankhamen, fell in love with the paintings of John Lavery, Frederic Burton, and Paul Henry, visited the magnificent 1920’s Café de Seine on Dawson Street, shopped for woolens at Avoca and had soup in their adorable café, jammed with the locals at the Brazen Head Bar, sipped Guinness at the Storehouse overlooking all of Dublin and the Wicklow Mountains, listened to the concerns of the locals on the government’s plan to stop teaching the Gaelic language, stood in awe of the Book of Kells & Trinity Library, and milked not one, but many Irish coffee at every stop we made. Irish stew cooked in Guinness? Of course!

No trip to Ireland would be complete without learning about how to heat your home with peat, watch a sheep herder gather his sheep, eat seafood to your hearts content, drive the 100 miles along the Ring of Kerry, kiss the Blarney Stone, have a medieval feast at Bunratty Castle, learn the fateful history of the famine & the desire of the Irish to be independent of England during that time, sip whisky, peer over the Atlantic at the Cliff’s of Moher from 700 feet vertical, and chat with the old timers who have played cards together for decades at the same pubs.

Ireland is all I dreamed of and more! I can not wait to return to the land of Leprechauns. With St. Patrick’s Day right around the corner, it’s time for everyone to start thinking green and plan your next trip to this wonderful island country across the pond! Sláinte!

Directions

Pour a small drizzle of olive oil into a large saucepan over medium heat. When the oil is hot, tip in the bacon. Fry for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until all the fat has rendered and the bacon is crispy and golden brown.

Add the onion, season with salt and pepper (bearing in mind that the bacon is quite salty), and cook for another 5 minutes. Then add the potatoes with the stock, milk, and cayenne.

Bring to a boil, decrease the heat, and simmer for 3 minutes, or until the cubes of potato are half cooked. Add the fish and gently simmer for another 3 to 4 minutes, until the fish is opaque and the potatoes are tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste, stir in the chopped herbs, and serve.

Carnevale!

It’s that time again! This weekend is the last weekend before Mardi Gras, which falls on Tuesday March 4th this year. Countries around the world (not to mention our very own New Orleans!) have prepared large and extravagant celebrations for Fat Tuesday, with Venice having the largest and most popular celebration in Italy. Parades and masquerades start several weeks in advance, and everywhere you look you’ll see locals and visitors alike showing off their greatest costumes! Venice in particular starts two weeks before Mardi Gras with gondola and boat parades all along the Grand Canal, nightly entertainment, and a grand fireworks show on the final day to commemorate the end of the celebration. If you’ve been to Venice, you’ll recognize that masks are sold year-round, but the truly spectacular are only revealed during Carnevale season! It may be too late to join in on the festivities this year, but there’s always next year! And remember - a Carnevale Ogni Scherzo Vale!

How to Host the Olympic Games

Do you know where you’ll be in 2020? The Olympic Games do! Following the Winter Olympics, it's on everybody's mind now, and Tokyo, Japan recently became the latest city to hop in line to host this most prestigious sporting event in the world!But how does a city become selected for such an honor? While the Summer Games in 2020 have been granted to Tokyo, the Winter Games of 2022 are yet to be decided. The current applicant cities (Phase I) are Kraków, Oslo, Almaty, Lviv, and Beijing, and have all submitted an Application File to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) at least 9 years in advance. The IOC Executive Board then decides based on its research which cities will advance to Phase II, the candidature phase. During this phase, the candidate cities and their National Olympic Committees (NOCs) are required to submit much more detailed plans for their roles as host. This may include which venues are to be used for which events, how the city’s infrastructure will handle tourism and spectators, economic and political stability, climate, and other factors. The IOC Evaluation Commission then pays a visit to each city and writes a risk assessment report detailing the strengths and weaknesses of all the cities. Finally, 7 years in advance and after one last presentation from each city, the IOC members vote on which city is best fit to host the Games. Sounds simple right? One more thing: each NOC can put forth only one applicant city, so some NOCs hold their own bidding process within their country to determine the best city to apply. Good news yet! The Baltimore-Washington area is vying to apply for the title of 2024 Summer Olympic Games host city! We just have to beat out all the other US cities….and then all the international cities….show your support!

The First World War:100 Years of Remembrance

It’s hard to believe that the war the pitted the nations of the world against one another will be coming up on another bench mark anniversary this year. Although the war was now 100 years ago and its list of living veterans is waning, the world has far from forgotten. The War was and remains an integral part of the world's history, and they are planning to recognize the anniversary accordingly. Events, projects, performances, and exhibitions will be opening all over the world. Great Britain is hosting multiple events, such as battle reenactments at local theaters and a project at the National Army Museum to commemorate those “forgotten soldiers” who died or went missing without proper recognition. The French town of Haybes, which was decimated in the war, has created a new beer called “Stockport & Haybes” to pay a tribute to the British town of Stockport that pledged to rebuild it. And here in the US, UC Berkeley will be hosting musical tributes to honor the anniversary and present how the war had an effect on art and culture. So if you’re traveling this year, be on the lookout for upcoming events all over the world. You can stay up to date on the anniversary Facebook page: First World War 100th Anniversary 2014-2018.

The Cronut Craze!

The next time you’re struggling with the choice between a croissant and a donut, your problems are solved. Introducing the “cronut”: the donut-croissant hybrid. Dominique Ansel, owner of Dominique Ansel Bakery in New York, has created the perfect American-French pastry fusion. The cronut has become a sensation in the city, with dozens lining up from the minute the bakery opens their doors to snag this delicately airy, yet creamy treat.

Ansel is renowned for his high end pastries and creative mind. Other unconventionally delectable treats can be found at his bakery, such as “frozen s’mores” and the “magic soufflé”- the soufflé that never deflates. However, if you’re craving a cronut, you may just have to make a special trip to New York. One would think that the cronut’s popularity would push Ansel to expand his business, but he doesn’t think so. Instead of growing to meet its high demand, he wants to focus on quality control, so that his customers receive the same artistic, innovate, high quality pastries every time. In fact, he has patented the cronut to prevent what he calls the “black market for the pastry” and is sticking to his location in the city.

Even social responsibility is weaved into the cronut. Ansel, who hails from a poor background in France, has never forgotten his roots. He devotes a large part of his business to helping underprivileged neighborhoods in the United States through pastry auctions and regular donations. So what’s not to love? The purchase of a cronut is one you can feel good about.

A Great Way to Learn Travel Italian!

Before hopping on the plane for your next trip to Italy, consider taking a basic 4-week immersion course provided by the Italian Cultural Society. The program was built with tourists traveling to Italy in mind, and classes are held right here in Bethesda! No previous knowledge of Italian is required!

This course is designed to prepare you as you find your way around Italy and enjoy interacting with its people. It focuses on real, practical situations of Italian daily life, employing a variety of learning materials and videos. Classes take place on Saturday and Sunday. For more info, click here.

Bishop Ray Boland(08 Feb 1932 - 27 Feb 2014)

It is with sad news we report that our good friend Bishop Ray Boland passed away Thursday night, surrounded by family in Ireland. Born and raised in Ireland, Bishop Boland served as a priest and Chancellor in the Archdiocese of Washington, before being appointed as Bishop of Birmingham in Alabama and later served in the Diocese of Kansas City-Saint Joseph, MO. We’re keeping him and his family in our thoughts and prayers. He will be greatly missed by his many friends in DC!